Chapter 51: Fear

Chapter 51: Fear Mari swallowed hard. A cold feeling crept up her spine as she looked at her father. Five years ago when her father told her about her biological mom’s murder and how he met her stepmom, Andy, not once did she think that the day would come when she would have to be worried about her safety, yet here they were. Her mind spun with questions, but before she could ask, her father sighed deeply. "I knew this day would come. I should have been better prepared for this," he muttered. "You knew?" She asked, looking at him. He nodded. "Yes. Why do you think I made you learn all karate, fencing and how to handle guns instead of ballet and piano? They’re not fools. Your mom is supposed to be dead. They knew she was on the ship when it exploded. Yet she survived. She’s not only alive and she’s a famous singer. This was bound to happen the moment I let my feelings get in the way," he said with a shrug. "Does that mean they’re going to come after Mom. I don’t understand. What do we do now?" Mari asked, confused. Alex leaned against his desk, folding his arms. "I think we should return to the island for a while. It’s the safest option until I can come up with something else." "No." The word left her lips instantly. Alex frowned. "Mari—" "I don’t want to go," she said firmly. "I have a life here now. I don’t want to leave it behind." She hated the island where she had grown with so much passion. It was one of the reasons she would adore her stepmom forever. It was thanks to her stepmom that she had left that island. Alex sighed heavily. "You’ll be safer." "I don’t care. I’m not going to live my life in isolation from the rest of the world just because I want to be safe. What’s the point of being safe if you’re not living freely?" Her father met her gaze again. His next words sent a shiver down her spine. "The point is that you’re safe long enough until the danger has been taken care of and you’re able to live freely again. You can’t live freely if you’re dead." "I think I’ll be alright. For all we know, they’re just looking. They won’t find anything. They don’t know I’m your daughter. Everyone believes I was adopted by Andy. No one would even think to trace me to you. You both can return to the island and I’ll just stay back." "We can’t leave. That wouldn’t solve anything," he cut in. "If anything, it would just make things more suspicious right now. And they don’t need to trace you to me to target you. The fact that you’re Andy’s child, biological or not makes you a target. They can come for you just to make her tell them where I am," Alex said as he pinched the bridge of his nose, looking more exhausted than she had ever seen him. Mari stepped closer. "What about the police? We could tell them. They could arrest them again since you helped them take arrest the cartel members." Alex shook his head. "We can’t involve the police." "Why not?" "Because I’m dead to them, Mari. As far as the law is concerned, I don’t exist," he reminded her. Mari sucked in a breath. Silence stretched between them again. Then, hesitantly, she said, "What about aunt Jade? She was the lawyer who handled things back then, right? She can handle it again." Alex shook his head immediately. "I don’t want to drag her into this. Last time, they wanted to get rid of her. And so much time has passed now. She doesn’t even practice criminal law anymore." "That doesn’t mean she won’t do anything. We are family. She can help. And for all we know, maybe this whole thing is not as bad as you think and we are panicking for nothing," she reasoned. "Someone was murdered," he reminded her. Mari’s stomach twisted and she felt her pulse pounding in her ears. He was right. She ran a finger through her long dark hair and sat down. Mari pursed her lips as she thought about it, and before she could respond her father spoke again. "What if we send you somewhere else that is not the Island? Another country maybe. You can be there until things are taken care of," he suggested. "Will you and Mom come with me?" She asked, and he shook his head. "No. We will be fine here. I can handle myself, and so can your Mom..." "And I can handle myself too. You said it yourself that you made me learn all of that for such a time. Trust me and stop worrying," she said, but he said nothing as he watched her. "Is mom aware of any of this?" She asked, realizing she was yet to ask that. Alex exhaled slowly. "Yes. She is. This is the last time she will be hosting the GEL executives for a while. We need to be more security conscious," he said, then glanced at his watch. "I need to step out for a beat. Try not to worry too much. Also, I’m going to get you a bodyguard to keep you safe," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. Mari hesitated. Then, reluctantly, she nodded. She watched as he picked up his phone and walked out of the study. A single thought repeated in her mind as she watched him go. What was going to happen now? She sat there for a while thinking about it, and just as she rose to leave, the door opened, startling her, and she almost jumped out of her skin. "What’s wrong, doll?" Her stepmom, Andy, asked with a concerned frown as she walked into the study, taken aback by her reaction. Mari placed a hand on her chest to calm her racing heart and let out a shaky breath. "Nothing... I just wasn’t expecting you back so soon." She hesitated, searching her stepmother’s face. Andy had always been her safe place, but right now, she looked different— her usual cheerfulness was overshadowed by a guarded expression. Or perhaps she was just seeing what wasn’t there and reading unnecessary meanings to her expression. Andy’s eyes softened as she stepped closer. "Listen, doll, I know your father spoke to you. I saw him on my way in," She reached out, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind Mari’s ear. "I want you to know that we’re going to do whatever we must to protect you. You don’t have to be jumpy." Mari swallowed, nodding slowly, "I don’t want to leave. I want to protect you both as well," she admitted quietly. Andy sighed, brushing a reassuring hand down Mari’s arm. "I know. But we are your parents. It’s not your duty to protect us. And if I had it my way, none of this would be happening. But we don’t always get to choose our battles, sweetheart. Sometimes, they come for us whether we’re ready or not." Her voice wavered slightly before she steadied it. "We will keep you safe, I promise," Andy said firmly. Mari looked into her stepmother’s eyes, and all she saw was determination and something that looked like fear.